All I ever wanted
by Yunasno1fan
Summary: Set after AC. Cloud finds his flowergirl. Cloud and Aerith fluff. My first fic. Reviews please.


**Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII okay? I'm just a fan. This for fun.**

**This is my first ever written fanfic so i hope you like it :)**

All I ever wanted…

Tifa smiled at Cloud as he smiled at everyone. He looked happier then he had in a long time. Then she saw his eyes move away from her and a look of longing came into their sapphire blue depths. She turned to see what he was looking at but saw nothing. She looked back at him, he had a small smile on his face, his eyes shining. A rock formed in the pit of Tifa's stomach, only one person could make Cloud look so happy and so sad at the same moment. She fought back tears as she had many times before, hiding her anguish behind a cheerful smile like always. _Its not fair_. She thought miserably. _Aerith has been dead for two years and still she has his heart._

Later at Seventh Heaven

Tifa was cooking dinner while Cloud and Barret were regaling the two children with tales of their battles. Cloud seemed more at peace then he had been for a long time. Tifa checked the food, satisfied it would be ready soon then when into the lounge. "Marlene, Denzel would you mind setting the table, dinner will be ready soon." The two children left the room. "I think Yuffie had a good idea." Tifa said to the two men. Cloud said nothing but Barret nodded. "Yeah it would be good to have the whole gang here for a celebration." Marlene's father said, tossing back the last dregs of his drink. Tifa smiled. "I'll have to remember to take photos. They are our family too. All of us together again was great." Cloud nodded absently. "Yea all of us." He murmured, looking a million miles away. Tifa felt a sudden violent urge to slap him. She suppressed it quickly, shocked at herself. That was twice in one day she'd felt her old feelings for Cloud. She thought she'd let all her jealousy of Cloud's love for Aerith go a long time ago. _I must be tired._ She thought. _It has been a long day._ "I'll check on dinner it should be ready." She said with a cheerfulness she didn't feel. After dinner they sat in the lounge watching TV, Marlene curled in Barret's lap, Denzel sitting on the arm of his hero's chair. The TV was playing the broadcast of their battles against Bahamut Sin, Sephiroth and Kadaj and his lackeys for the third time. After a while the children went to bed, Barret went with them to tuck Marlene in. "So Cloud, what are your plans tomorrow?" Tifa said lightly. Cloud glanced at her for a moment before looking back at the TV. "Deliveries of course, I have customers waiting." He said flatly. "Don't you want to take a few days off? I mean you just recovered from Geostigma and the battles must have taken their toll." Tifa said, concerned. Cloud shrugged. "I feel fine and I have things to do tomorrow." _I think I can meet her… there._

Tifa dropped the subject and Barret returned. "Well don't you two look cheerful?" The big man bellowed loudly. "Time for drinks I say, we need a few laughs. Come on people we beat Sephiroth and his stupid puppets, we should be celebrating!"

When Tifa got up the next morning Cloud was already gone on his bike. She gave a deep heartfelt sigh and prepared to go about her day.

Cloud felt bad about lying to Tifa, he had no deliveries today. But he couldn't tell her where he was going. She would think he was nuts. But he knew now where he would find her. His guilt had prevented that before, why would she want to see him when had he failed to protect her? He had been weighted down for two years and now he felt light. She hadn't blamed him at all.

"_You came for me…that's all that matters."_

Excitement and fear churned up inside him, he hoped he was right. He felt so sure she was leading him to the right place. Felt it strongly inside him. He didn't know how much time had passed before he saw the flower field. It seemed instantly and forever. He stopped the bike and got off, his eyes sweeping the horizon. There! A slender figure clothed in pink. He wanted to run to her and sweep her into his arms but was afraid that she would be nothing but a hallucination. He walked stiffly through the flowers towards her, afraid to blink lest she disappear. Then she was standing right in front of him. Her silky tresses framed her angelic face, her emerald eyes gazed at him above her perfect nose and soft pink lips. He stood there, drinking in the sight of her. If she was nothing but a madness induced dream he was going to enjoy every moment of It. God, she looked so real and so goddamn beautiful just as he remembered. "Helloo?" Aerith said teasingly. "Are you just going to stare at me all day? Can't even say hello?"

"Aerith." he whispered, reaching up a hand to touch her face but his hand stopped halfway. His fingers trembled. What if he touched her and she vanished? He couldn't bear it. "Silly Cloud. You can touch me." Her gentle voice coaxed. She took his hand and slid the glove off then pressed the palm of his hand against the side of her face. The soft skin under his hand woke him from his stupor. He cupped her cheek in his hand, marvelling at how real she felt. "It's really you." He said, awe in his voice. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her hard against him. She felt so soft and alive in his arms. She rested her head against his chest, sighing contentedly. He pressed his face into her hair, inhaling the scent of flowers. Cloud remembered the last time he had held her so tightly. _She lay in his arms unmoving, blood staining them both. He could feel the life leaving her body. His body shook with grief, tears running unchecked down his face. _"I'm so sorry, Aerith." He mumbled. "If I had protected you, like I had promised you'd still be alive and-"

"Hush." The flower girl said firmly, raising her head to look at him. "But I-Aerith cupped his face in her hands. "No more living in the past Cloud. It can't change, you have to look forward to the future."

"Aerith…" His voice faltered as he gazed into her eyes. "You need to move on." She said softly. "Have a life, find a nice girl raise a family."

"No." He said quietly but emphatically. "I have a family and I already have a nice girl, you. Don't ask it because I won't do it." She smiled at him. "If that's what you want." "More than anything." He bent his head slightly and pressed his lips against hers. She kissed him back with all the love she felt for him, her arms going around his neck. Cloud undid her plait, allowing her beautiful chestnut coloured hair to fall free down her back. He ran his fingers through its silky softness. Aerith pressed her hands against his chest, feeling the hardness of his muscles under the cloth. _Her bodyguard, her hero, her one true love. _They kissed again, long and lingering. "I love you so much." Cloud whispered. "I love you too Cloud." Aerith replied with just as much feeling as he. They sat in the flowers, arms around each other. "How is this possible? Are we in the promised land?" Cloud asked her. Aerith shook her head. "Not exactly. Do you remember what the elders at Cosmo Canyon told us?" Cloud shrugged and Aerith poked his side. "You never listen." She scolded but her tone was playful. "Only Ancients can enter the promised land. When a person dies they return to the planet. But if that person, Cetran or not, has a bond with a living person, when they love each other so much that the living person refuses to let them go they cannot return until that person dies or the bond is broken, say if you decided to let go of my memory and move on. But you didn't, you held me in your heart and mind refusing to let go even when you were torn by guilt and didn't think you deserved to find me. Fearing I would hate you for being unable to save me." Cloud looked away, awkward and embarrassed that she knew him so well. "I'm in your heart remember." She said, resting her hand on his chest. "I know your thoughts and feelings as well as you do. But you couldn't feel me inside you until you realised I never hated you and it wasn't your fault that I died. Now you've made peace with yourself and what you couldn't prevent you can see me again, talk to me touch me. As for me appearing to you here, as real as you are, that's simple. The promised land is a place of supreme happiness and what makes me happy is you Cloud. Being half-Cetran has its advantages. " He looked at her hopefully. "Does that mean you're alive?" Aerith shook her head. "No Cloud, no one can be brought back to life. Even Sephiroth when you fought him before was not really alive. But when you come here I'm alive in a sense, but only to you and for you." Cloud looked down, staring at the flowers. "I don't deserve you. I don't know why I make you happy. All I did was mess things up." Aerith sighed. "Dilly dally shilly shally. You're dragging again. **Stop** thinking about the past. Everything turned out all right." She cupped his chin with her hand and made him look at her. We're together now. Isn't that what matters?"

"Of course, I just…" She looked at him sternly. "I just have one more question." He said hurriedly. "Why did you save me on the battlefield? Why didn't you let me die and be with you in the life stream?" She took his hands in hers. "Simple." She said softly. "Your family needs you. I can wait. Besides we'll have time to be together. I'm in your heart Cloud, I'm not going anywhere." He enfolded her in his arms. "You better not." He muttered into her neck. "And stay away from Zack." He growled only half joking. Aerith laughed. "You're not jealous are you Cloud? Zack's just a dear friend." Cloud scowled. "He's a player and you're the most beautiful woman in the world you can't expect me to believe he hasn't tried something." Aerith smiled, touched that he thought she was beautiful. "Of course he has but I told him I loved you and only you. He got the picture and I hear he and your friend Jessie are getting along very well."

"Ok then." Cloud said looking appeased. They kissed again then Cloud lay with his head in Aerith's lap. He had never felt so happy and contented in his life.

They talked a lot, fond remembrances and about Cloud's family and their friends alive and dead but mostly the lovers were happy to sit in silence, enjoying being together at last. Aerith ran her fingers through his spiky blond hair. "Your mother should have named you chocobo head." She said with a giggle. "Oh really?" He said gruffly but unable to keep the smile from his face as he looked up at her. "Really." She replied, tugging affectionately on one golden spike. "No respect." Cloud grumbled but his blue eyes twinkled with laughter. "Oh I respect you heaps my darling even if you do look like a chocobo." She said with a mischievous smile. "I'll show you chocobo!" He pulled her on top of him and began to tickle her mercilessly. Aerith shrieked with laughter, trying to get away. Cloud then stopped and pulled her into his lap, her back against his chest. He kissed the back of her neck. "You suck at tickle fights." He informed her. "Oh yeah?" She said turning in his lap and tickling his stomach. She frowned at his lack of response. "You're not even ticklish!" She complained with an adorable pout. He laughed. "But you are!" And he tickled her again. "No fair!" She giggled, squirming away. Cloud chuckled and kissed her again, wrapping his arms about her and pulling her back into his lap. He didn't like letting go of her for long. Aerith laid her head against his shoulder. "I have to go." She said after a while. "What?" Cloud said gripping her arms and moving her back from him so he could see her face. "Don't worry, I'll always be with you and when you come back here I'll be waiting." She assured him. "But I have to return. At least for a time. I have expended a lot of energy to appear to you and have to return to the lifestream." He shook his head in denial. "No, we haven't had enough time. I don't want you to go." She smiled gently and stood up. "You have to return too, its getting late and you have people that rely on you." She started to fade. "No! Aerith!" He scrambled to his feet and clasped her against him in a desperate attempt to keep her with him. But he could feel her disappearing even as he held her. "I love you." She said and was gone. Cloud fell to his knees and pounded the ground furiously with his fist. After his emotions had calmed he got to his feet. Then bent and picked a few flowers. He inhaled their scent, _her scent_ then headed back to his bike. For the briefest moment he felt lips against his cheek and her voice. "I'll always be with you."

"_Thank you Aerith. That's all I ever wanted."_

The end.


End file.
